marriage celebrant Archives

April 25, 2025 by Glenda Ashleigh

Episode 4: A ray of sunshine

Dolls are Different, or are they?

a pegdoll production.

It seems that all dolls want a piece of the wedding planning action! Peg & Pog are swamped by the loads of suggestions from Doll family members.

Peg Doll

Pog Doll

Further, not only do Doll family members push their ideas, but also new-found doll friends, such as the peculiar ballet teacher, Madame Noscova. Even the ballet class catch the wedding planning fever!

Of course, all dolls want to ‘help’ make Peg & Pog’s wedding the very best wedding in the Rose Garden.

The Doll family and friends are so eager to lend their particular talents to make Peg & Pog’s wedding an event to remember, that they forget about what Peg & Pog want!

Peg & Pog feel completely sidelined. Apparently their wedding is a ‘community event’ and they are merely the bride and groom! Ahhhhhh! Peg & Pog search for a ray of sunshine to help them have the wedding that they want.

A ray of sunshine

Peg & Pog contact Glenda, Brisbane’s really good marriage celebrant, and find that she is the ray of sunshine that the lovebirds are desperately seeking!

Glenda J Ashleigh, Brisbane’s very good marriage celebrantlistens carefully to Peg & Pog before giving them some ideas to think about.

Glenda listens carefully to Peg & Pog’s wishes for their wedding. They discuss their dreams and hopes, and fears about being left out of the wedding planning process. Being an experienced Celebrant, Glenda gives sensible and caring suggestions for managing the input of family members and friends in planning for the wedding day.

At last Peg & Pog feel that they are in control of planning for their special day!

Peg & Pog have great fun as they start to plan their special wedding day!

Contact Glenda to shine a ray of sunshine on your wedding plans!

All dolls and the creator/director/producer etc etc, Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, hope that you enjoy Episode 4: A ray of sunshine

January 7, 2025 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Ceremony Keepsakes – keep them safe!

Wedding Keepsakes

Wedding keepsakes are those items and documents that make your ceremony unique and special. These precious items include your wedding keepsakes and favours, and the Presentation Marriage Certificate. Those something old, something blue, something borrowed items, perhaps a handkerchief, a brooch, or necklace that you carry or wear for the ceremony are very special keepsakes. Further, these keepsakes are irreplaceable. Also, how do you explain their loss if you borrow these items?

Unique Wedding Keepsakes

I take the time and care to design unique wedding keepsakes for your ceremony.

Wedding Ceremony Keepsakes

Your ceremony script is presented as a scroll inside a cover. A hand-made decorated sleeve secures the scroll.
Your personal wedding vow booklets and the scroll reflect your chosen colours of your wedding theme, or your favourite colours.
As a special touch, I give you a keepsake to wish you ‘good-luck’ for your married life.

When can Keepsakes go Missing?

At the end of the ceremony everyone is excited. Everyone congratulates the happy couple or gathers for photographs, and this is the critical time when keepsake items are often misplaced or overlooked. The Presentation Marriage Certificate and your keepsakes are treasured items that are easily lost in the excitement of the day. The Presentation Marriage Certificate is not replaceable, however if it is mislaid or damaged, you will need to apply to the Registry for advice.

You can avoid the stress and worry of locating misplaced items if you prepare well. After all, you want to enjoy those wonderful moments of your wedding and make beautiful memories of your special day.

Appoint a Wedding Ceremony Keepsakes and Documents Official

Here is a great wedding ceremony tip! Appoint a reliable person as the wedding ceremony keepsakes and documents official on your wedding day. This is an essential part of successful wedding planning! Your wedding ceremony keepsakes and documents official is someone you trust to follow your instructions exactly!

Wedding Ceremony Keepsakes and Documents Official

Following is a basic checklist of instructions to give to your appointed Documents Official.

Identify yourself as the appointed ‘wedding ceremony keepsakes and documents official’ to the Celebrant before the wedding ceremony.
Be available and receive the ceremony keepsakes and documents immediately after the wedding ceremony.
Check the contents of the envelope containing the wedding ceremony keepsakes and documents with the Celebrant.
Take charge of the envelope containing the ceremony keepsakes and documents, and
Follow instructions immediately for safe storage. (specify exactly how, when and where.)

I meet your Wedding Ceremony Documents Official before the ceremony and check the instructions carefully. Following the signing of the marriage documents, I hand over all keepsakes and the Presentation Marriage Certificate securely and safely to your appointed Wedding Ceremony Documents Official. You relax and celebrate the special moments of your wedding day with family and friends, confident that your precious items are safe.

Official Marriage Documents

Do you want to know more about Australian official marriage documents? Do you know that the Presentation Marriage Certificate is not the official marriage certificate? Although it is a legal document, it is however, not a personal identification document (ID)? Personal identification documents show your date of birth and this information is not shown on the Presentation Marriage Certificate.

The Official Marriage Certificate shows your date of birth and is a personal identification document (ID). You purchase a certified copy of the official marriage certificate from the Marriage Registry in the Australian state or territory of your marriage. This certified copy is a personal identification document and serves to verify your changed legal status as a married person. Check out the Australian government page for the most up-to-date and accurate information about Australian marriage documents.

November 16, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Tips

Wedding Planning Tips that Make a Difference

Use great wedding planning tips to make a difference! As a professional Registered Marriage Celebrant, I am often asked about wedding hints and tips for ceremonies. Every ceremony is different, however the following tips apply to all wedding ceremonies.

Goodluck Horseshoe

We often overlook the really important areas of planning a wedding. Some areas are so commonplace that we take them for granted and we hope that they will ‘look after themselves’. We hope that we will have ‘good luck’ and that everything will go smoothly. Brides often carry wedding charms or keepsakes such as a horseshoe to assure good luck on the day. These are fun, however they do not guarantee that good luck will follow.

Of course you want your wedding ceremony to be breathtaking! After all it is your special day and you expect that your ceremony will flow smoothly and be absolutely delightful.

Important Wedding Areas

Wedding ceremonies must contain the legal requirements, however just meeting the legal requirements for a marriage ceremony does not meet the requirements for an enjoyable ceremony. Here are a few helpful wedding planning tips that I hope will help you to make your ceremony, simply the best!

Choose the people and services for your wedding ceremony very carefully. The success of the occasion depends on the choices you make. How well do people understand each other? How respectful they are of each other’s wishes?

Communicate at all stages of the process – planning, arriving at the venue, entrances, where people are required to stand, what they do during the ceremony and what happens at the close of the ceremony. Don’t fall into the trap of “Oh I though you knew that…” or “Why wasn’t I told…” or “I didn’t know you wanted me to do that…”. Keep everyone in the communication loop, including your guests.

Inform your celebrant of the arrangements. A really good marriage celebrant works with other service providers, eg photographers, event planners, directors and venue staff. They encourage your guests to feel comfortable. Everyone is there to help make this very special occasion a memorable one for all the right reasons. Your celebrant has a big responsibility. They are in charge of the ceremony!

October 7, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Garden Wedding – Glenda J Ashleigh Celebrant

Garden Wedding with Brisbane’s Best Celebrant

A Garden wedding at home or in a park with Brisbane’s Best Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, is just delightful! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and everything is as it should be – perfect! All is well.

Peg & Pog garden wedding

Parks and gardens in Brisbane, Queensland (fantastic one day, perfect the next!) make great venues for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

Brisbane’s Best Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, conducts the wedding ceremony just the way that Peg and Pog want.

Everyone feels relaxed and happy. They really enjoy the warm and personal ceremony and the charming garden setting. The roses are blooming, the grass feels like carpet, and there is plenty of space for all to see what is happening.

Garden Weddings & Weather

Providing the sun keeps shining, all will be well for the wedding party, service providers, and of course those very important people, the guests. Delightful! But then, who can control the weather?

A few clouds drift over, and then some more… Quick! Here comes the rain, run! Where do people run to? What do they do when they get there? What do you do with soggy people? A bedraggled bridal party does not look good, especially in photographs and videos.

If you consider holding your wedding ceremony in a garden or one of the many delightful parks in and around Brisbane, be prepared with a ‘rainy day’ option. Is there shelter close to the ceremony area? Is the shelter large enough to provide cover for everyone? You might want to tell guests to bring their ‘brollies, or you can provide umbrellas for them.

Be prepared! If you are planning an outdoor or garden wedding park in a park in the Brisbane area, check out the shelter option in your chosen park. Avoid becoming a ‘soggie’ on your wedding day! Delight your guests, they will thank you for your good planning.

September 1, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Valentine Wish

PEG AND POG SEND A VALENTINE WISH

Peg and Pog send a very special Valentine wish to all lovers. Each year, 14 February is the special day to celebrate romance! Of course not everyone can arrange their wedding for 14 February. Contact Glenda and choose your own romantic date to celebrate your Valentine Wedding!

Romance is in the Air

Romance! What exactly does it mean? According to the dictionary, the countable noun, ‘romance’ is “a feeling of excitement that you get from new and slightly dangerous experiences.” Wow! This is explosive stuff!

How Peg and Pog Found Romance

Until Pog met Peg, he had not done anything particularly exciting or dangerous. Pog was into break-dancing. Of course, break-dancing alone at home, did not set Pog up for any likely romantic experiences.

Peg and Pog stars of Dolls are Different, or are they?

Peg and Pog know a thing or two about Romance

Pog’s unique execution of the ‘orbital rotation’ break-dance move, is the catapult (literally) that lands him among the roses and at last he finds romance.

Peg captures the very essence of romance in the language of love as only she knows how.

Can Pog say ‘no’ to the angelic vision of Peg as he regains consciousness (among the roses)? Of course not! The only response he can offer is that of a gentleman, “Yes, thank you very much.”

Such sensitivity! Such insight! The wonder and mystery that overtakes Peg and Pog must be romance. Feelings of ecstasy, unconditional love and joy as two souls reach out to each other and meld together in harmony!

What Peg actually says to Pog is not important. For Pog, the message is clear and he is excited. That is all that matters. The language of love is indeed powerful and potent. It sweeps all concerns away and, as Pog discovers, it can snap a fella from a dazed state to one of full alertness in a moment!

Find your romance in a Valentine Day wedding with Glenda Ashleigh, Professional Brisbane Marriage Celebrant

June 20, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Brisbane Celebrant Weds Love Ducks

Brisbane Celebrant Weds Ducks in Love

Wow! How time flies! Back in the day this was big news and guess what? It still is! Brisbane and Bayside areas are fantastic places for weddings. The Wynnum-Manly-Lota area is easy to get to from the Brisbane CBD. It is close to the Gateway Motorway, linking the northern and southern areas of Brisbane.

Glenda J Ashleigh, Brisbane Celebrant weds the delightful love ducks in a ‘first’ for Brisbane. Brisbane ducks will never be the same! These ‘luvducks’ will say ‘I do’ in the beautiful Brisbane Bayside suburb of Manly.

Brisbane ducks will gather to witness the Bride & Groom being joined for evermore in duck love.

The wedding pond is a romantic wedding venue where the Bride & Groom first found love. The Bride & Groom will display their love with a large ‘Love’ sign.

Brisbane Celebrant, Glenda Ashleigh is very good at guiding nervous Brides & Grooms (including ducks) through their romantic wedding vows.

There will be much ‘happy flapping’ when the Groom gives the Bride an affectionate peck at the end of the ceremony.

Brisbane’s Beautiful Bayside

Duck family and friends are delighted that the two ‘luvducks’ will be wed in Brisbane’s Beautiful Bayside.

The Wynnum-Manly-Lota area on Moreton Bay has many great venues for wedding ceremonies all year round. This suits ducks just fine as the water is never far away. Lovely sea breezes during summer days allow ducks to relax and enjoy themselves. Winter days by the bay are a duck’s delight with sunshine glinting on the water.

Brisbane Celebrant Glenda Ashleigh

Brisbane Celebrant Glenda Ashleigh is Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant. People (and ducks) find Glenda friendly and approachable. Glenda is a true professional, reliable and trustworthy. Your ceremony is Glenda’s business and she takes very good care of it.

What does Glenda do very well? She really listens to Brides & Grooms. Your wishes come first! You can be confident that Glenda will help you plan the ceremony that best suits you.

Contact Glenda

Contact Glenda by mobile, or if you prefer, text for a callback to chat about your ceremony wishes, needs and wants. Glenda will answer your questions clearly and honestly.

You are welcome to arrange a meeting with Glenda, obligation-free to discuss your ceremony.

April 27, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Peg & Pog’s Delightful Wedding Album

Peg & Pog’s Absolutely Delightful Wedding Album

Peg & Pog are excited and happy to share their delightful wedding album with you.

The newlyweds, Peg & Pog, love their official wedding photos. All Doll family members and friends help make their special day in the Rose Garden just the best. This unique wedding album captures the excitement and joy of the day.

Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant

Glenda J Ashleigh, Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant saves the day!

Pog comments, “Glenda is our ‘ray of sunshine.’ She is a wonderful wedding ceremony planner. We really appreciate her help with great ideas for the day.”

Peg adds, “Our families and friends get carried away very easily with their ideas for our wedding. Glenda saves the day with her patience and care. Pog and I feel that we have at last got control of the way we want our wedding day to happen.”

Peg & Pog’s Delightful Wedding Album

Peg & Pog, the Bride and Groom, are the stars on their special day! All Dolls feel the love and pride in the efforts to make the wedding day one to remember.

Peg & Pog feel happy that they achieve all their hopes and dreams for the wedding they want!

Peg & Pog star in the micro-series “Dolls are Different…or are they?” Wedding planning is pretty rough sometimes, and Peg & Pog share their many experiences with you! Fortunately, they choose Glenda J Ashleigh as their Celebrant! the wedding day arrives and all is beautiful in the Rose Garden.

The wedding day arrives and Peg & Pog marry in their dream wedding in the Rose Garden. Doll family and friends rejoice in the celebrations and happiness is everywhere.

Peg & Pog spread the love…

All dolls and the creator/director/producer etc etc, Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, hope that you enjoy Peg & Pog’s Wedding Album

April 3, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Bomboniere

Creative Wedding Bomboniere to Delight

Wedding bomboniere are favours or gifts that wedding guests receive on the wedding day. Weddings as happy events that people like to celebrate. Weddings also attract ‘good luck’ and everyone likes good luck! Wedding bomboniere is as different as you want it to be, so create your bomboniere and delight your wedding guests!

Wedding Bomboniere Through History

Traditionally, everyone in the community shares in the good luck associated with weddings and in spreading the love. Over time, the ritual of giving wedding bomboniere became part of wedding celebrations.

In 16th century France, only the wealthy classes gave wedding bomboniere to wedding guests. Small boxes to hold bonbons or other confectionery were popular bomboniere. These boxes were often decorated with gold and precious stones. Not only was this bomboniere valuable keepsakes, they were also handed down from one generation to another in families as heirlooms.

Families of modest means however, were more creative with their bomboniere. For example, In Italy, sugar-coated or Jordan almonds are popular as wedding bomboniere. Five sugar-coated almonds are presented in a dainty organza bag or wrapped in fine tule, and tied with a ribbon. These almonds represent the five wedding wishes: health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.

Although the form of wedding bomboniere differs across cultures, the thoughts and sentiments are the same. It is all about how you spread and share the happiness of your wedding day. Cut the wedding cake and put small pieces in boxes or paper bags for guests to take home with them. This is and old and delightful bomboniere tradition that is easy. Wedding guests place the boxed cake under their pillows on the wedding night for ‘good luck’. Hopefully, wedding guests experience good luck!

In the 21st century, people are more creative with wedding bomboniere. Some gifts are practical while others are more sentimental. Wine bottle stoppers, personalised pens, and even music boxes that play the wedding waltz are popular. These bomboniere are available commercially, however they do come at a cost.

Personalised Wedding Bomboniere

Wedding Bomboniere Crochet Bells

Why not personalise your wedding bomboniere in unique ways? Express your personality, hopes and dreams in personalised bomboniere. These gifts are heartfelt and add that special touch to your day. The hand-made crochet Wedding Bells in this photo are delightful examples of unique bomboniere. These little bells add a lovely touch to place cards or as decorations on champagne flutes.

Other popular personalised wedding bomboniere include plant seeds, small plants in pots, and home-baked confectionery, jams and biscuits. Print or hand-write thank you notes and attach to these items. Invite family and friends to gather, make or present these personalised items. Not only is this is a great way to get everyone involved in the wedding preparations, it also saves time, effort, and of course, expense!

Why not share the love, good wishes and ‘good luck’ with wedding guests? Make a donation to a charity on behalf of your wedding guests who then receive tokens such as pins or thank-you cards from the charity. Alternatively, write thank-you messages to guests on place cards at the reception, or attach them to bomboniere.

Get creative and delight your wedding guests!

Are you ready for some really creative ideas for bomboniere? As Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, I know a special couple whose families get into the really creative bomboniere in a big way! Check out the carrot carving bomboniere guests receive at the wedding of Peg & Pog.

March 10, 2023 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Bells Keepsake – Celebrant Glenda J Ashleigh

Romantic Wedding Bells

A romantic wedding bells keepsake gives that unique touch to your wedding day.

No two weddings are the same and no two wedding bells are the same. I hand-make each tiny bell with love.

These tiny bells come in a limited range of colours to compliment your wedding theme.

This delightful keepsake is priceless! It is not for sale! A wedding bells keepsake is available exclusively to my wedding clients. It represents good wishes for happiness always.

Wedding Bells

Wedding bells are traditional symbols of the happiness of the wedding day, and the good wishes for a successful marriage for the newly-wed couple. They are used in many forms in wedding celebrations, and following the ancient Celtic tradition, become treasured keepsakes. These wedding bells may not make any sound, however they are lovely mementos of your wedding day.

Contact Glenda, the Best Brisbane Celebrant and let these little bells ring out the joy and happiness on your wedding day!